the brotherhood of consolation- 第38部分

〃Yes。〃

〃Monsieur；〃　he　said；　turning　to　the　old　man；　〃your　wife〃

〃Is　dead；〃　said　Monsieur　Bernard。

〃Was　she　very　fair？〃　said　Halpersohn；　showing　a　slight　impatience　at
being　interrupted。

〃Here　is　her　portrait；〃　said　Monsieur　Bernard；　unhooking　from　the　wall
a　handsome　frame　which　enclosed　several　fine　miniatures。

Halpersohn　felt　the　head　and　handled　the　hair　of　the　patient　while　he
looked　at　the　portrait　of　Vanda　Tarlowska；　born　Countess　Sobolewska。

〃Relate　to　me　the　symptoms　of　your　illness；〃　he　said；　placing　himself
on　the　sofa　and　looking　fixedly　at　Vanda　during　the　twenty　minutes　the
history；　given　alternately　by　the　father　and　daughter；　lasted。

〃How　old　are　you？〃

〃Thirty…eight。〃

〃Ah！　good！〃　he　cried；　rising；　〃I　will　answer　for　the　cure。　Mind；　I　do
not　say　that　I　can　restore　the　use　of　her　legs；　but　cured　of　the
disease；　that　she　shall　be。　Only；　I　must　have　her　in　a　private
hospital　under　my　own　eye。〃

〃But；　monsieur；　my　daughter　cannot　be　moved！〃

〃I　will　answer　for　her；〃　said　Halpersohn；　curtly；　〃but　I　will　answer
for　her　only　on　those　conditions。　She　will　have　to　exchange　her
present　malady　for　another　still　more　terrible；　which　may　last　a　year；
six　months　at　the　very　least。　You　may　come　and　see　her　at　the
hospital；　since　you　are　her　father。〃

〃Are　you　certain　of　curing　her？〃　said　Monsieur　Bernard。

〃Certain；〃　repeated　the　Jew。　〃Madame　has　in　her　body　an　element；　a
vitiated　fluid；　the　national　disease；　and　it　must　be　eliminated。　You
must　bring　her　to　me　at　Challot；　rue　Basse…Saint…Pierre；　private
hospital　of　Doctor　Halpersohn。〃

〃How　can　I？〃

〃On　a　stretcher；　just　as　all　sick　persons　are　carried　to　hospitals。〃

〃But　the　removal　will　kill　her！〃

〃No。〃

As　he　said　the　word　in　a　curt　tone　he　was　already　at　the　door；
Godefroid　rejoined　him　on　the　staircase。　The　Jew；　who　was　stifling
with　heat；　said　in　his　ear：

〃Besides　the　three　thousand　francs；　the　cost　will　be　fifteen　francs　a
day；　payable　three　months　in　advance。〃

〃Very　good；　monsieur。　And；〃　continued　Godefroid；　putting　one　foot　on
the　step　of　the　cabriolet；　into　which　the　doctor　had　sprung；　〃you　say
you　will　answer　for　the　cure？〃

〃I　will　answer　for　it；〃　said　the　Jewish　doctor。　〃Are　you　in　love　with
the　lady？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Godefroid。

〃You　must　not　repeat　what　I　am　about　to　say　to　you；　I　only　say　it　to
prove　to　you　that　I　am　certain　of　a　cure。　If　you　are　guilty　of　the
slightest　indiscretion　you　will　kill　her。〃

Godefroid　replied　with　a　gesture　only。

〃For　the　last　seventeen　years　she　has　been　a　victim　to　the　element　in
her　system　called　/plica　polonica/；＇*＇　which　has　produced　all　these
ravages。　I　have　seen　more　terrible　cases　than　this。　Now；　I　alone　in
the　present　day　know　how　to　bring　this　disease　to　a　crisis；　and　force
it　outward　so　as　to　obtain　a　chance　to　cure　itfor　it　cannot　always
be　cured。　You　see；　monsieur；　that　I　am　disinterested。　If　this　lady
were　of　great　importance；　a　Baronne　de　Nucingen；　or　any　other　wife　or
daughter　of　a　modern　Croesus；　this　cure　would　bring　me　one　hundredtwo
hundred　thousand　francs；　in　short；　anything　I　chose　to　ask　for　it。
However；　it　is　only　a　trifling　loss　to　me。〃

＇*＇　Balzac's　description　of　/plica　polonica/　does　not　agree　with　that
　　　　given　in　English　medical　dictionaries　and　cyclopedias。　But　as　the
　　　　book　was　written　at　Wierschovnia；　Poland；　in　1847；　when　he　was
　　　　attended　by　a　celebrated　Polish　physician；　and　as；　moreover；　he
　　　　was　always　so　scrupulously　accurate　in　his　descriptions；　it　is
　　　　fair　to　suppose　that　he　knew　of　some　form　of　the　disease　other
　　　　than　that　given　in　the　books。　His　account　probably　applies　to　the
　　　　period　before　it　takes　the　visible　form　described　in　the　books。


〃About　conveying　her？〃

〃Bah！　she'll　seem　to　be　dying；　but　she　won't　die。　There's　life　enough
in　her　to　last　a　hundred　years；　when　the　disease　is　out　of　her　system。
Come；　Jacques；　drive　on！　quick；rue　de　Monsieur！　quick！〃　he　said　to
his　man。

Godefroid　was　left　on　the　boulevard　gazing　stupidly　after　the
cabriolet。

〃Who　is　that　queer　man　in　a　bearskin？〃　asked　Madame　Vauthier；　whom
nothing　escaped；　〃is　it　true；　what　the　man　in　the　cabriolet　told　me；
that　he　is　one　of　the　greatest　doctors　in　Paris？〃

〃What　is　that　to　you？〃

〃Oh！　nothing　at　all；〃　she　replied；　making　a　face。

〃You　made　a　great　mistake　in　not　putting　yourself　on　my　side；〃　said
Godefroid；　returning　slowly　to　the　house；　〃you　would　have　made　more
out　of　me　than　you　will　ever　get　from　Barbet　and　Metivier；　from　whom；
mark　my　words；　you'll　get　nothing。〃

〃I　am　not　for　them　particularly；〃　said　Madame　Vauthier；　shrugging　her
shoulders；　〃Monsieur　Barbet　is　my　proprietor；　that's　all！〃

It　required　two　days'　persuasion　to　induce　Monsieur　Bernard　to
separate　from　his　daughter　and　take　her　to　Chaillot。　Godefroid　and　the
old　man　made　the　trip　walking　on　each　side　of　the　litter；　canopied
with　blue　and　white　striped　linen；　in　which　was　the　dear　patient；
partly　bound　to　a　mattress；　so　much　did　her　father　dread　the　possible
convulsions　of　a　nervous　attack。　They　started　at　three　o'clock　and
reached　their　destination　at　five　just　as　evening　was　coming　on。
Godefroid　paid　the　sum　demanded　for　three　months'　board　in　advance；
being　careful　to　obtain　a　receipt　for　the　money。　When　he　went　back　to
pay　the　bearers　of　the　litter；　he　was　followed　by　Monsieur　Bernard；
who　took　from　beneath　the　mattress　a　bulky　package　carefully　sealed
up；　and　gave　it　to　Godefroid。

〃One　of　these　men　will　fetch　you　a　cab；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃for　you
cannot　carry　these　four　volumes　under　your　arm。　That　is　my　book；　give
it　to　your　reader；　he　may　keep　it　the　whole　of　the　coming　week。　I
shall　stay　at　least　that　time　in　this　quarter；　for　I　cannot　leave　my
daughter　in　such　total　abandonment。　I　trust　my　grandson；　he　can　take
care　of　our　rooms；　especially　if　you　keep　an　eye　on　him。　If　I　were
what　I　once　was　I　would　ask　you　the　name　of　my　critic；　the　former
magistrate　you　spoke　of；　there　were　but　few　of　them　whom　I　did　not
know。〃

〃Oh；　there's　no　mystery　about　it！〃　said　Godefroid；　interrupting
Monsieur　Bernard。　〃Now　that　you　have　shown　this　entire　confidence　in
trusting　me　with　your　book；　I　will　tell　you　that　your　censor　is　the
former　president；　Lecamus　de　Tresnes。〃

〃Oh；　yes！of　the　Royal　Court　of　Paris。　Take　him　the　book；　he　is　one
of　the　noblest　characters　of　the　present　day。　He　and　the　late　Popinot；
a　judge　of　the　Lower　Court；　were　both　worthy　of　the　days　of　the　old
Parliaments。　All　my　fears；　if　I　had　any；　are　dissipated。　Where　does　he
live？　I　should　like　to　go　and　thank　him　for　the　trouble　he　is　taking。〃

〃You　will　find　him　in　the　rue　Chanoinesse；　under　the　name　of　Monsieur
Joseph。　I　am　going　there　now。　Where　is　that　agreement　you　made　with
your　swindlers？〃

〃Auguste　will　give　it　to　you；〃　said　the　old　man；　re…entering　the
courtyard　of　the　hospital。

A　cab　was　now　brought　up　by　the　porter；　and　Godefroid　jumped　into　it；
promising　the　coachman　a　good　pourboire　if　he　would　get　him　to　the
rue　Chanoinesse　in　good　time；　for　he　wanted　to　dine　there。

Half　an　hour　after　Vanda's　departure；　three　men　dressed　in　black；　whom
Madame　Vauthier　let　into　the　house　by　the　door　on　the　rue　Notre…Dame
des　Champs；　filed　up　the　staircase；　accompanied　by　their　female　Judas；
and　knocked　gently　at　the　door　of　Monsieur　Bernard's　lodging。　As　it
happened　to　be　a　Thursday；　Auguste　was　at　home。　He　opened　the　door；
and　the　three　men　glided　in　like　shadows。

〃What　do　you　want；　messieurs？〃　asked　the　lad。

〃These　are　the　rooms　of　Monsieur　Bernard；that　is；　Monsieur　le　baron；
are　they　not？〃

〃Yes；　but　what　do　you　want？〃

〃You　know　very　well；　young　man；　what　we　want！　We　are　informed　that
your　grandfather　has　left　this　house　with　a　covered　litter。　That's　not
surprising；　he　had　the　right　to　do　so。　But　I　am　the　sheriff；　and　I
have　come　to　seize　everything　he　has　left。　On　Monday　he　received　a
summons　to　pay　three　thousand　francs；　with　interest　and　costs；　to
Monsieur　Metivier；　under　pain　of　arrest　for　debt　duly　notified　to　him；
and　like　an　old　stager　who　is　up　to　the　tricks　of　his　own　trade；　he
has　walked　off　just　in　time。　However；　if　we　can't　catch　him；　his
furniture　hasn't　taken　wings。　You　see　we　know　all　about　it；　young
man。〃

〃Here　are　the　stamped　papers　your　grandpapa　didn't　choose　to　take；〃
said　Madame　Vauthier；　thrusting　three　writs　into　Auguste's　hand。

〃Remain　here；　madame；〃　said　the　sheriff；　〃we　shall　make　you　legal
guardian　of　the　property。　The　law　gives　you　forty　sous　a　day；　and
that's　not　to　be　sneezed　at。〃

〃Ha！　now　I　shall　see　the　inside　of　that　fine　bedroom！〃　cried　the
Vauthier。

〃You　shall　not　go　into　my　mother's　room！〃　said　the　young　lad；　in　a
threatening　voice；　springing　between　the　door　and　the　three　men　in
black。

At　a　sign　from　the　sheriff；　two　of　the　men　seized　Auguste。

〃No　resistance；　young　man；　you　are　not　master　here；〃　said　the　sheriff。
〃We　shall　draw　up　the　proces…verbal；　and　you　will　sleep　in　jail。〃

Hearing　that　dreadful　word；　Auguste　burst　into　tears。

〃Ah；　how　fortunate；〃　he　cried；　〃that　mamma　has　gone！　It　would　have
killed　her。〃

A　conference　now　took　place　between　the　sheriff；　the　other　men；　and
Vauthier；　by　which　Auguste　discovered；　although　they　spoke　in　a　low
voice；　that　his　grandfather's　manuscripts　were　what　they　chiefly
wanted。　On　that；　he　opened　the　door　of　his　mother's　bedroom。

〃Go　in；〃　he　said；　〃but　take　care　to　do　no　injury。　You　will　be　paid
to…morrow　morning。〃

Then　he　went　off　weeping　into　the　lair；　seized　his　grandfather's
notes　and　stuck　them　into　the　stove；　in　which；　as　he　knew　very　well；
there　was　not　a　spark　of　fire。

The　thing　was　done　so　rapidly　that　the　sheriffa　sly；　keen　fellow；
worthy　of　his　clients　Barbet　and　Metivierfound　the　lad　weeping　in
his　chair　when　he　entered　the　wretched　room；　after　assuring　himself
that　the　manuscripts　were　not　in　the　antechamber。

Though　it　is　not　permissible　to　seize　books　or　manuscripts　for　debt；
the　bill　of　sale　which　Monsieur　Bernard　had　made　of　his　work　justified
this　proceeding。　It　was；　however；　easy　to　oppose　various　delays　to
this　seizure；　and　Monsieur　Bernard；　had　he　been　there；　would　not　have
failed　to　do　so。　For　that　reason　the　whole　affair　had　bee